Posted By
Luca
on 2013-10-26
10:14:33
 |  "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
 Yes, after three years they did it again!
Exactly three years ago, we've learned how a 48K long game can be squeezed in less than 16K with no loss overall, either in graphics'n'sound or in terms of gameplay. Its name was Uwol, and the guys behind that conversion did a really great job. Could they do better than that?
Eheh they could indeed, we say, while watching the stunning results of their effort!
The man that moved the strings of graphics and code is Kichy/ASN again, the artist behind the fabuolus TED original soundtrack is Csabo/LOD again, and once again the original ZX Spectrum game is another success coming from those cool guys under the well-known name The Mojon Twins! And this time there's no 16K memory limit to stay in, so why don't put down an enhanced version of the original one, with better multicolor graphics instead of spectrumesque hires stuff? So they thought, so they did! Now we have a fantastic enhanced version of Sgt. Helmet Zero running on Plus/4, with additional joystick support and several adjustments and addons here and there.
Sgt. Helmet Zero is a fast jump'n'shoot action game along 4 levels, in which you have to set free the girls which have been taken hostage by evil forces. Free all of them and you'll be allowed to exit and go to the next level. Enemies and turrets shoot at you with no mercy while jumping around avoiding bullets and deep pits, so you have to show to be the tough dude you look to really be.
Less words, more jumps, even more bullets: it's time to play Sgt. Helmet Zero!
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Posted By
Degauss
on 2013-10-26
10:14:33
| Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Wow! Great adaption! I especially like the mixture of Multicolor and Hires elements.
I would love to see a "making of"-article on this thing!
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Posted By
Lavina
on 2013-10-26
12:56:42
 | Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Where did this come from? 
Always happy to see new stuff. Thanks so much.
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Posted By
Chronos
on 2013-10-28
15:16:27
 | Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
great stuff! respect Kichy!
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Posted By
MIK
on 2013-10-29
02:38:30
 | Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
First impressions very cool. Love the graphic style of the levels and could see a lot more games made in the same way. Has a slight Codemasters (C64) feel to it, more so because of Csabo's music I think which is amazing as always! I was loving level 2 music, very atmospheric and there was a kind of Rick Dangerous feel now coming from the game.
Would of been cool to of seen an end of level total score round up, something like an arcade machine and a final score screen when you die but other wise very very good and well polished, great looking game. More of the same please!
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Posted By
Ati
on 2013-10-29
03:20:25
| Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Good work guys! I like it.
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Posted By
Skoro
on 2013-11-05
09:30:07
| Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Kichy = The Game Master!
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Posted By
Gaia
on 2013-11-16
17:44:43
| Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Very smooth Spectrum-like "gameplay on steroids" with the usual high quality tunes. Big respects for keeping it up. If only we had Atic-atac... 
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Posted By
crock
on 2014-03-06
18:26:58
 | Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
fyi, There's a review and Q&A with Kichy on page 105 & 107 of last months Retro Gamer magazine (issue 125) in which Csabo gets a couple of mentions as well.
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Posted By
MIK
on 2014-03-07
06:33:01
| Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Well done Kichy & Csabo, keep up the good work!
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Posted By
Csabo
on 2014-03-08
15:18:20
| Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Thanks for the heads up Rob, it's been added. The C16 version of Paperboy got a mention as well. If you guys know of more issues that have C16/Plus4 stuff in it, let us know
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Posted By
MIK
on 2014-03-08
19:31:48
| Re: "Sgt. Helmet Zero" Hits On Plus/4!
Thanks for sharing!
Kichy should do a port of Switchblade for Plus/4, Csabo and Luca on remix duty for both SID & TED.
Really when you look at Switchblade at it's most basic level it's nothing more than a take on Saboteur!. However I love how the game reveals parts of the room, but only when your standing in them and also Switchblade is a game where you will die, and you will die make no mistake. It's a game that can last for years and be replayed time and time again.
C64 version looks a bit ugly, still cool tho as a game to play... But looking back at Saboteur and because of the nature of Plus/4 I think Plus/4 could do better. The Spectrum version is not bad at all, but if the graphics could be borrowed from the Amstrad CPC / GX 4000 then that would be wicked as that version looks like the 16bit versions on Amiga and Atari ST even tho it's still an 8bit machine the Amstrad.
Kichy if you ever have a couple of weeks break from coding again and fancy another challenge then may I recommend SwitchBlade for Plus/4 someday. I would love to hear Csabo doing Ben Daglish with TED. The Amstrad version might give you an idea what that might sound like, but of course it uses 3 channels, the instrument sound is a bit like TED though.
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Switchblade_(cartridge)
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